Device for preventing motion on cars



(No Model.)

A. E. PLATTIOK, DEVICE FOR PREVENTING MOTION 0N CARS.

No. 555,238. Patented Feb. 25. 1896.

ANDREW BMIAHAN. PHOTO-UMQWASNINGTDX. DO

UNITED STATES.-

PATENT; OFFICE.

ANDREW E. FLATTICK, OF sr. Lonrs, MISSOURI.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING MOTION ON CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,238, dated February 25, 1896.

Application filed July 15, 1895. Serial No. 555,953. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW E. FLATTICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Preventing Rocking Motion on Cars, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in devices for preventing the lateral swinging motion of street-cars during the travel of the same; and it consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of one end of a car having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an end view of the hollow cylinder forming one of the details of my construction. Figs. 3, 4., and 5 are details, respectively, of the piston-rod, supporting-bracket carried by the truck, and one of the members of the toggle-joint to be presently referred to.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the lateral swinging motion of cars during the rapid travel of the same can be prevented, this prevention being the more desirable and in fact necessary on cars provided with life-guards or fenders, which it is necessary shall be kept at a uniform distance above ground.

In detail the device may be described as follows:

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a portion of a car-body and 2 the truck.

3 represent the supporting-springs.

From the outer end of each truck depends a bracket i having outwardly-projectin g lugs 5, between which is pivotally secured one end of a toggle-joint member 6, the opposite end of the member being pivoted to approximately the medial portion of the member '7, whose opposite end is reinforced by the strut S and compression-bar 9 formed integrally with the member 7 and making a triangular brace pivotally secured between lugs 10 depending from the car-body. The end of the member 6 which connects with the member 7 is preferably forked, the members 11 of the fork embracing the member 7 at the joint of the toggle thus formed. The lower end of the member '7 has pivotally secured thereto by a forked connection 12 a piston-rod 13, whose opposite end carries a piston 14 adjustable on said rod by a nut passed over the screwthreaded portion thereof. This piston operates against a compression or controlling spring 15 coiled and Working within an open cylinder 16 secured to the bottom of the platform, the cylinder being inclined axially in the general line along which the piston-rod 13 operates. The cylinder is provided with an exterior rib or web 17 of triangular shape to admit of the inclination for the cylinder, the rib having lateral flanges 18 by means of which it can be secured to the car-body by bolts 19 passed therethrough.

It is apparent that should the car rock laterally against the tension of the supportingsprings 3, the particular depression of the car on any side thereof will cause the toggle-j oint to expand beyond the normal position shown in Fig. 1, and during the expansion of the members 6 and 7 of said toggle the piston 13 will be forced outwardly, causing the piston at the end thereof to bear against the resiliency of the coiled spring 15, which in turn exerts an upward bearing motion against the car-body at the free end thereof, thus keeping the car always in a horizontal position and overcoming the rocking motion completely. Thus the springs 15 confined within the cylinders take up as it were any rocking motion that the car might be subjected to in cases of rapid travel or overloading of the car at one side.

It will be understood that there are four such devices on each car, one at each corner of the carbody.

It is apparent that the present construction may be altered in many details. For example, the bar 9 and that portion of the member 7 between the pivotal point of the toggle and the end of the bar 9 might be omitted, the object in all cases being to transmit any movement due to the rocking motion of the car to the front portion of such car, where a yielding reaction due to the springs 15 against such movement takes place.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device for preventing rocking motion in cars, a suitable car-body, a ear-truck, supporting-springs for the car-body, a togglejoint connected respectively to the car-b0dy and truck, and a yielding connection between the end of one of the members of the togglejoint and one end of the car-body, substantially as set forth.

2. In a device for preventing rocking motion in cars, a car-body, a truck, supportingsprings for the car-body, a depending bracket carried by each truck, a toggle-joint having the free end of one of its members pivotally secured to the bracket, asupporting-strut for the toggle-joint pivotally connected to the car-body, a piston-rod pivotally secured to 

